


Day 29 - Underwater

by Amuah



Series: Haikyuu!! Writober 2020 [29]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Boats and Ships, Caves, Drowning, M/M, Talking, but not really?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:55:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27783322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amuah/pseuds/Amuah
Summary: He would rather fall off the edge, be pushed off the edge, before he could let himself be so cruel. So he was letting this happen, instead.
Relationships: Azumane Asahi/Nishinoya Yuu
Series: Haikyuu!! Writober 2020 [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1994824
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	Day 29 - Underwater

Asahi hated the disappointed look on his captain’s face. He had failed to carry out orders again, and apparently, Daichi had had enough of him. He swallowed as he looked down to the ocean, the roaring currents and crashing waves looking as if they wanted to reach up and pull him in, to fill his lungs with water and eyes with salt. 

“Daichi, I–” He couldn’t take his eyes off the water, didn’t see the narrowing of the captain’s eyes or the sympathetic glances of the other crewmates, ones that didn’t want to make the same mistake– _mistakes_ that he had.

“You _what_ , Asahi?” The taller man flinched at the cutting words, not having an answer. “I’m sorry, I really am. But I can’t have you here if you’re just going to get in the way.” His tone was blunt, not sounding sorry at all. 

Asahi knew Daichi had been considering this for a while now. The only reason he was still living, still breathing was because of the First Mate, Sugawara, who convinced the strict captain out of his deliberations. The second in command had spoken to him quietly one night, telling Asahi that he needed to do something before Daichi stopped listening.

But he couldn’t. Their job– if you could even call it that– was terrible. It banked on the suffering of others, taking with abandon, without thinking of who they left behind. He would rather fall off the edge, be _pushed_ off the edge, before he could let himself be so cruel. So he was letting this happen, instead. He was letting Daichi give him the final shove to be done with it all.

“It’s okay. I understand, Daichi,” he said, glancing up to give a pained smile to his friend, seeing the flash of guilt in his gaze before the resolve hardened the dark topaz of his eyes. They didn’t really have a procedure for the plank, not having anyone walk it before. Asahi knew this, knew Daichi’s mind was working to find some way to send him over, so he took the first step. 

Then the second, and more, until his feet lined up with the end of the long wooden board. He turned, his back facing towards the sea, a stroke of bravery running up his spine before dropping off the ship on his own accord.

~~~

Nishinoya didn’t know what he was expecting that day. He had of course taken note of the large ship on the water above him, passing under its shadow as he swam back home. He’d also noticed the humans gathered there, making sure to stay out of sight until they looked away, not wanting them to catch a glimpse of his orange scales.

He was nowhere near close enough to hear their conversation but saw one man begin to walk down the long wooden board. _What’s he going to do?_ Nishinoya was intrigued, wanting to see what the man was doing. He was unfamiliar with human customs, finding the act a little dangerous. That was until the man fell over the side. Nishinoya tensed, confused, as the man dropped into the water. No one had pushed him but no one had tried to stop him either. 

The small merman watched as he sunk, not struggling until his lungs seemed to falter, trying to swim to the surface for air, but he was already too far below the waterline.

Before Nishinoya could register what he was doing, before he could consider the dangers and possible repercussions of his actions, he darted out of his hiding place and swum quickly towards the human, not noticing the sun glinting off his tail. 

Its warm glow lit up the water around him and flowing hair turned, chocolate-toned eyes filled with surprise meeting with his own before Nishinoya heard yelling, peeking up at the ship once more. Fingers were pointed at him, surprise filling more faces than he was hoping staring directly at him.

The small brunette sighed, and before he even thought about his recklessness, he grabbed the drowning human’s arm and swam with him, bringing him to the surface leaving just his front above water as he sped them away.

Nishinoya’s home wasn’t far, a small cave with an underwater entrance that he made sure the spluttering man was ready to enter before ducking back below the surface. The two broke the rippling blue water’s edge, the human gasping deeply before paddling over to the solid ground, lifting himself up over it. He coughed into the rock, some water extracted from his lungs. Nishinoya tried not to notice his muscles becoming taut under his bare skin.

“Who– what–” he looked at the merman in bewilderment, taking in his naked chest and glistening tail, his voice hoarse from the salt in his throat and heaving coughs.

“Nishinoya. And I think you can, um, tell what I am.” He gestured to his inhuman parts, only his head above the water. “What’s yours?”

“A-Asahi–” he said, still staring intensely at the bright orange scales.

“Stop staring at my tail, creep. It’s not like I’m staring at your _legs_.” Asahi looked incredulous, opening and closing his mouth with no sound coming out. Nishinoya had, in fact, looked at his legs and quietly admired the limbs he’d never have, the defined lines of his calves and thighs. He was sure both of their faces were beet red.

“I wasn’t–” Nishinoya raised an eyebrow, Asahi giving up on the denial and instead reaching a hand up to brush wet, deep brown locks out of his face with a mumbled, “thank you.” Nishinoya grinned brightly, not having expected the gratitude but happy to receive the kindness. 

He smiled nervously back, and Nishinoya couldn’t help but watch as Asahi’s lips curved upwards, the word _handsome_ flitting through his mind at the sight. Neither of them seemed to know what to do, but Nishinoya desperately hoped the human wouldn’t leave him anytime soon. He realized that Asahi could have been saying goodbye with his words, but Nishinoya didn’t want to end this yet.

The merman wanted to learn more about him, about his race, his culture. Wanted to ask why he let himself fall overboard, why he had almost tried to drown himself. Who he was, what he was doing on the ship in the first place. Questions piled up but Nishinoya was sure that if Asahi left now, he’d never get to ask them.

“Stay, at least for a bit?” Nishinoya sighed inwardly. His impulsiveness would always get the best of him, he supposed. 

Asahi looked sheepish, scratching his jawline. “S-sure, as long as I’m not intruding.” 

“Nah! You’re not. My cavemate is out right now. So it’s just the two of us.” He didn’t realize the implication of his words until they were already in the air between them, quickly adding “I have a bunch of questions to ask.”

“Okay–”

“Great!” Nishinoya pulled at his arm again, pulling himself up to lean into Asahi. They sat there for too long, just talking, asking questions, answering them, laughing together. Eventually, Asahi had to pull his legs from the water and Nishinoya had to dip back into it but neither of them minded. The physical space between them didn’t change the life stories, the emotions they expressed to one another.

With each passing moment, Nishinoya was more curious, wanting to know more about the older man who, for some reason, had become a pirate despite his moral compass steering him in the complete opposite direction. He wanted time to ask him everything. Even if that took forever. _Especially_ if it did. Nishinoya didn’t want either of their curiosities to fade, not if it meant the man with beautiful dark hair and hazel eyes would leave.

**Author's Note:**

> Arghhhh we're heading into the last few days, otherwise known as the fics I don't really like-
> 
> I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Kudos and comments are always welcome :)


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